Trenton Moulin, Executive Director of Bridge Builders Community Foundations, was selected as Venango County’s Young Professional of the Year and received the FLEX Award at a Venango Area Chamber of Commerce ceremony April 10, 2015. FLEX is short for Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange. In the photograph, he and Bre, dressed in their party clothes, are holding the new doorstop.

We may cut back his salary as no one should be that happy on the job. And yes Trenton, thanks for the great work.

The Clarion County Community Foundation held its Annual Meeting on March 18, 2015, celebrating eight years of growth and service to the community. We elected Barry McCauliff President for the next three years, Janice Horn Vice President, Hal Wassink Secretary, and Andy Montana Treasurer. For our delegation of three Trustees to the Bridge Builders Community Foundations Board of Trustees for the next three years, we elected Bill Kaufman, Barry McCauliff, and Dan Parker. For the 13 March 2018 class of Directors for the CCCF Board, we elected Becky Edwards, Bill Hearst, Bill Kaufman, Dan Parker, and Mike Vereb. We also elected Bill Miller to a position in the 13 March 2016 class.

As of the date of our Annual Meeting, CCCF funds total $344,688.83, making our share 4.80% of the total BBCF funds. We are proud of our progress and hope for continued growth. Our funds are designed to serve the community according to the written instructions of the donors; and our board ensures prudent and watchful stewardship is community based. To create a new fund, call our Executive Director Trenton Moulin at (814) 677-8687 for an opportunity to discuss what you have in mind. We first listen, then advise, and together with you prepare a fund document to make your wishes come true.

From left to right, our photo is of first time Director and new Trustee Dan Parker, first time Director Becky Edwards, founding Director Bill Hearst, and continuing Director, new Board President, and new Trustee Barry McCauliff.

First Photograph, left to right: Jamie Lafever, Trenton Moulin, and Mike Vereb. Mike and Sally Vereb hosted the September 17th meeting of the Clarion County Community Foundation Board of Directors at Lincoln Hall, a historic performance space above the Foxburg Free Library. Sally made pizzas and chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen of the Button House and brought them across the street to our delight. The Board has never been treated so well or met in so charming a space.

Second Photograph, left to right: Barry McCauliff, Bill Kaufman, Janice Horn, and Hal Wassink. Following our meeting we toured the Button House, a Depression Era home of double plank construction Mike and Sally have restored and decorated in period furnishings to display some of Sally’s vast collection of buttons.

Third Photograph, left to right: Jamie Lafever, Clara Belloit, Jerry Belloit, and Sally Vereb. Sally gave us a brief introduction and then we wandered throughout the house. The buttons decorate every room and are organized by time, fashion, material, and subject matter.

Fourth Photograph, altogether: Charles Marlin and Sally Vereb. We asked lots of questions and had an aw-shucks time. It would be difficult not to enjoy a tour of the Button House which Sally offers during the summer months. Call her at (724) 659-0180 or do the email thing at buttons@thebuttonhouse.com

Fifth Photograph: Depression Era aprons at the Button House. The tours are free; but there is a “Donations Appreciated” bowl in the living room. You can skip the bowl if you bring Sally a bag of buttons; or as I discovered, Sally has a second weakness for Depression-Style aprons. Find her a good one, and bring it along.

Please don’t expect Sally to make pizzas for you as she only does that for very “special” occasions. Around the corner from the Button House is the Foxburg Pizza Place, the Allegheny Grille, Foxburg Wine Cellars, and Divani Chocolatier (and ice cream parlor). You will not leave Foxburg hungry. Charles Marlin

PHOTO L-R: Former Clarion Superintendents Dr. George White, Dr. Joseph Fotos, and Dr. William Kaufman created the Bobcat Funds to receive and disburse monies to benefit students of the Clarion Area School District.

The Clarion County Community Foundation and Bridge Builders Community Foundations have partnered to establish a family of funds designed to receive and disburse monies to benefit students of the Clarion Area School District.

The Clarion Area Bobcat Funds are two specific funds established to provide a framework for the creation of additional funds. The initial funds are: the Bobcat General Scholarship Fund and the Bobcat Undesignated Fund.

The General Scholarship Fund is an endowed fund restricted to fund income in excess of a minimum market value principal of $100,000.

The Undesignated Fund is a non-endowed fund with no distribution restrictions from principal or income sources. Initiatives this fund will support include arts programs, student activities, school-community partnerships, and innovative instructional practices.

Dr. Bill Kaufman, a former Clarion Area school District superintendent and board president of the Clarion County Community Foundation and member of the Bridge Builders board of trustees is pleased to have these two funds available for students in the Clarion community.

It’s important to have a long-range plan for supporting students in our community. We need to make sure we have the resources needed to ensure students have opportunities to benefit from an enhanced educational experience.”

The funds were created by former Clarion superintendents including Kaufman, Dr. George White, and Dr. Joseph Fotos. Kaufman adds, “George had the idea for a foundation-type group and I approached the Clarion County Community Foundation and Bridge Builders since I serve on their boards. George and I asked Joe Fotos to work with us, and the result of our discussions was the establishment of the Bobcat Funds. Moving forward, Dr. White will lead efforts to promote public awareness and develop a plan for raising funds.”

A steering committee will provide oversight for all the Bobcat Funds’ operations and activities. This committee will consist of Clarion Area School District alumni, faculty, board members, administrators, and retired educators, plus a representative of the foundation. Initial steering committee members will be selected by the fund creators. “We all received a lot from our service as superintendents, and this is a great way for us to collectively give back.”

Bridge Builders Executive Director, Trenton Moulin, says, “We are seeing more student-focused funds being established regionally, and the Bobcat Funds will be a nice addition to the Clarion community overall by providing the type of funding that can support educational, cultural, and community programs for students outside of the school’s programs.”

Duties of the Steering Committee will be: oversight for activities within the family of Bobcat Funds, fundraising and asset development, creation of additional funds, recommendations for expenditures within the family of Bobcat Funds, promotion of Bobcat Funds’ purposes and programs, input for growth and expansion of Bobcat Funds, and coordination of its activities with the Clarion County Community Foundation.

The Steering Committee will meet as needed but not less than once per year to review Bobcat Funds’ activities. The funds will be used to benefit students, and not to supplement the funding of programs by the Clarion Area School District.

Students and organizations that support programs and activities designed to directly benefit students may apply to be recipients of the Bobcat Funds’ grants. Disbursement of funds will be to non-profit organizations solely. Educational entities, political subdivisions and 501(c)3 non-profit groups may receive funds that support student activities, programs or educational opportunities.

Additional funds that may be created under Bobcat Funds are: scholarship funds, field of interest funds, and donor advised funds. Additional funds may be endowed or non-endowed as determined by the fund creators. Every type of fund, either endowed or non-endowed, may be created as a memorial fund.

Please include a memo for Bobcat Fund, and which fund you are contributing to: endowed or non-endowed. Contributions may be made in honor of an individual or organization. Donations received to support any of the Bobcat Funds are fully tax deductible donations under applicable federal and state laws.

Clarion County Community Foundation, at the July 17th meeting of the Board of Directors, elected Hal Wassink to the Board to serve in the 13 March 2016 Class. Pictured at the meeting, from left to right, are William Kaufman, President of the Board; Trenton Moulin, Executive Director of Bridge Builders Community Foundations; and Hal Wassink. Hal and his wife Brenda live in Knox PA. Welcome to the Board, Hal.

We are in our seventh year of service to Clarion County; and are always happy to welcome new community volunteers to our Board and other activities. Contact any Board member for details and a personal invitation to our meetings. Charles Marlin

The Board of Directors of the Clarion County Community Foundation held its Annual Meeting on March 20th, our sixth since or founding 13 March 2007. As part of our anniversary we placed a flower on the graves of those who are honored by memorial funds and those who have established a fund.

We elected to second terms of two years the officers of the Board: President Bill Kaufman, Vice President Charles Marlin, Treasurer Jerry Belloit, and Secretary Clara Belloit. Our current Trustees on the Board of Bridge Builders Community Foundations are serving terms that expire 13 March 2015. We elected the 13 March 2016 class of directors: Janice Horn, Jamie Lefever, Andy Montana, and Sally Vereb.

We hope to recruit three additional members to the Board; and extend an invitation to anyone interested in the work of the community foundation to contact our president, Bill Kaufman at (814) 229-8622. Two members, Nancy Ambrose and Bill Rupert, retired at the end of their terms, and shall be missed. Nancy Ambrose was a Founding Director of CCCF.

Following the election, the Board took three actions which must now be given final approval by the BBCF Trustees. First, we changed the CCCF Bylaws to eliminate the restriction on the number of terms a Director may serve if elected; and to allow officers of the Board to serve two consecutive terms of two years.

Second, we approved the Adam Weeter Memorial Scholarship Fund for Keystone High School Seniors. It will be a $2,000. scholarship, beginning this year.

Third, we approved a joint grant to the Clarion Y, a satellite of the Oil City Y, of $250 from CCCF, to be added to $750 from the Venango Area Community Foundation. Charles Marlin

Clarion County Community Foundation has two new members on the Board of Diirectors. They are, on the left, Greg Faller, Clarion County Democratic Commissioner and Fryburg community leader; and Andy Montana, owner of Ace Montana Realty in Clarion. We welcome them to the Board and thank them for their dedicated interest in providing trusteeship for scholarships and endowed trusts in Clarion County.